GSE Algebra I is the first course in a sequence of three required high school courses designed to ensure career and college readiness. The course represents a discrete study of algebra with correlated statistics applications. The fundamental purpose of Algebra I is to formalize and extend the mathematics that students learned in the middle grades. The critical areas, organized into units, deepen and extend understanding of functions by comparing and contrasting linear, quadratic, and exponential phenomena. The Mathematical Practice Standards apply throughout each course and, together with the content standards, prescribe that students experience mathematics as a coherent, useful, and logical subject that makes use of their ability to make sense of problem situations.